Three ‘Conceptual Realism’ Exhibitions Draw Attention
 
Exhibitions by artists associated with ‘conceptual realism’—who planted the seeds of ‘post-Minjung art’ after the 1970s and 1980s—are being held in succession these days. Rather than aligning themselves with the more overtly participatory and message-driven tendencies of Minjung art, these artists have explored the very concept of realism itself, presenting works that articulate their reflections on the world today. In this sense, the exhibitions form a discourse that bridges Minjung art and post-Minjung art.

Choi Gene Uk, 296 Bukahyundong 3, 2011 © Choi Gene Uk

Rendering Without Deception: Choi Gene Uk’s ‘Realism’
 
In the narrow alleyways of Bukahyeon-dong, a hillside neighborhood in Seoul, four high school girls walk along chatting animatedly. It is broad daylight, yet the sky above their heads is a deep gray. Buildings tilt precariously, and a village bus scorched by fire charges forward, cloaked in red paint.


The Artist © Choi Gene Uk

The ‘Bukahyeon-dong’ series by Choi Gene Uk, a painter known within the art world as a realist artist, is unsettling. The paintings on view in his solo exhibition 《Choi Gene-uk, REALISM》, currently on display at Ilmin Museum of Art in Sejong-ro, Seoul (on view until the 27th), at first glance appear ill-suited to what is commonly understood as realism.
 
Since the early 1990s, the artist has described his work using terms such as ‘emotional realism,’ ‘mysterious yet scientific realism,’ and ‘the overwhelming reality of the world.’
 
The artist explains his approach to painting as follows: “When people think of realism, they usually think of something related to social reality. My realism is about what one actually feels. Perhaps you could call it realism that touches the skin—an emotional realism. In many realist paintings, the artist tends to be excluded from the subject being depicted. I wanted to capture, without deception, the state of mind of the artist who senses and responds to reality.”

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